July 29, 2025 - Cole Tomberlain, president of The Tomberlain Insurance Group based in Longview, will give the commencement address during Stephen F. Austin State University’s summer graduation ceremony for undergraduates at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, in Johnson Coliseum. All master’s and doctoral candidates will receive their degrees during the Graduate Studies ceremony at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, in Turner Auditorium, Griffith Fine Arts Building.
After graduating from Spring Hill High School in Longview, Tomberlain attended SFA, following in the footsteps of his parents, Chuck and Babette, and received a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2010. While a student, he was a volunteer firefighter and a member of the SFA chapter of Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation. He also participated in the Student Activities Association and cofounded Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Texas Phi Chapter.
Tomberlain’s family have been similarly active in Lumberjack life. His sister, Morgan, served as a student regent for the SFA Board of Regents. His father was president of the SFA Alumni Association Board of Directors. Simultaneously, Tomberlain served as the executive director of SFA’s Student Foundation Association.
“Mr. Tomberlain exemplifies what it means to be an SFA graduate — prepared, capable and committed to making a difference from day 1,” said Dr. Neal Weaver, SFA president. “When his family business needed leadership, he stepped up without hesitation at just 24 years old. He shows our graduates where dedication and an SFA education can take you.”
Tomberlain took over both Charles Tomberlain Insurance Agency and Tomberlain Properties following a family crisis in 2013. Under his leadership, the agency has earned several awards, including the Safeco Insurance Award of Excellence and the Longview Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year. The agency also has received the Liberty Mutual President’s Award for 15 consecutive years and was inducted into the Foremost Insurance Hall of Fame in 2016.
Tomberlain also has earned individual recognition, including being voted the Best Insurance Agent in East Texas four consecutive years. He has served on the Liberty Mutual Central Region Advisory Council and the Safeco Insurance National Advisory Council.
“I am honored to return to SFA to speak to my fellow Lumberjacks as they transition into the next phase of their lives,” Tomberlain said. “SFA doesn’t just give you a degree, it gives you an extended family of alumni who are here to help support you on your path to success!
“While in Nacogdoches, many SFA students find out who they are meant to be and develop the dreams they will chase when they graduate,” he continued. “As they step into their next chapter, these graduates will carry with them what they learned not just in the classroom but also in their student organizations and leadership programs. I am looking forward to celebrating with them.”
In addition to his insurance work, Tomberlain has assisted with several nonprofits. He was the founding chair of Bourbon & Bowties, the official fundraiser for the Longview World of Wonders hands-on discovery center that has netted nearly $2 million for the museum. He also was a founding board member of the Young Professionals of Longview, Combat Warriors of East Texas and the East Texas Bourbon Society.
Tomberlain continues to give back to his alma mater through his service on the Business Communication and Legal Studies Advisory Council in SFA’s Nelson Rusche College of Business as well as The University of Texas System’s Chancellor’s Centurions. He received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from the SFA Alumni Association in 2019, making him and his father the first father-son duo to receive the honor. Kendall, Tomberlain’s wife, obtained her master’s degree in counseling from SFA in 2023, and their son, Liam, served as crown bearer at the SFA Homecoming football game that same year.
The public is invited to attend the graduation ceremonies, and community tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis at the coliseum ticket office and the Fine Arts Box Office one hour before each event begins.
Degrees to be awarded include 230 bachelor’s, 68 master’s and 10 doctoral degrees. Seventy-one students will graduate with honors, including 28 cum laude, 21 magna cum laude and 22 summa cum laude. Two students will graduate with the university scholar designation.
For more information, visit sfasu.edu/graduation.
